Vacuum hose end fittings commonly consist of a single molded matrix surrounding the end portions of the hose and typical examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,928,715, 4,012,091, 4,018,493 and 4,063,790. The end portions of such hoses are prepared by exposing the conductive wires within the jacket of the hose, and the wires are then connected to female receptacles or male connectors. A supporting core is then inserted in each end of the hose and an injection molded configuration is formed around each of the connectors. A suitable electric harness is connected to the male or female plug at each end of the hose for completing the circuit of the vacuum cleaner system. It is characteristic of the prior art that the end fittings are formed in a single-stage molding process.
The principal purpose of the present invention is to provide a double-stage concept of molded end fitting connectors wherein the conductive wires of the connectors are not in direct contact with the material that comprises the main outer structure of the end fitting. This is of significance because connector wires can and do move within hose end fittings and the double-stage process of the invention safeguards against unintentional grounding or short-circuiting of the wires. In addition the double-stage process permits the electrically insulated connectors to be inspected for dielectric integrity before incorporation into the remainder of the end fitting. A further feature of the double-molded concept of the invention is that it permits the connectors to be molded with their own insulation at a much higher injection pressure that would be permissible with the remainder of the end fitting attached to the helically fabricated hose end portion, and this assures that voids are not created in the molded material immediately around the conductive wires.